7.9.14
Valeview Shankill 2, Spartak 4
Three goals in a ten minute spell just after half time clinched the points for the Sky Blues in a tight game.
Valeview dominated the opening half and would consider themselves unfortunate not to be at least one goal ahead at the break, having spent the majority of the half in Spartak territory. Indeed the only Spartak effort of note was a long range Dave Kernan shot which was parried away, with Seamus McCahill tamely knocking the loose ball into the keeper’s hands.
Stuart Love, Jeff Gamble and Neil McGowan all made last ditch tackles tracking back , with the back four working overtime to stem the assault. Steve Grier was dominant in the aerial battles.
The whole complexion of the game quickly changed in the 48th minute and for the first time some Spartak defenders got forward. Aodhan McCahill won a tackle, raced forward before playing it back to Steve Grier; Steve’s long cross from the left found Steve Walsh lurking on the right hand side of the area and he controlled before firing home right footed.
The goal of the game came on 55 minutes, when Dave Kernan strode down the right from his own half. With home defenders backing off, he fired powerfully home from 25 yards.
Whwn a Paul Kinsella free caused the keeper to concede a corner, Neil McGowan nodded home Steve Walsh’s flag kick on 58 minutes.
Paul Kinsella, showing little in the way of composure, then managed to get himself yellow carded after a foul by a home player, who escaped sanction.
Stuart Love gave Jeff Gamble the assist for goal number 4 on 82 minutes to complete the Spartak tally. Martin Costello had two good chances, neither of which hit the target, when first played in by a McGowan-Walsh combination and then sent clear by a smashing Lee Malone crossfield pass.
With concentration dropping as players foolishly considered the game over the home side scored twice in the dying minutes, with ref playing 6 minutes of added time. Spartak were denied the clean sheet by some sloppy set piece defending.
Form Report
Bobby Hayes 7 David Kernan 9 Aodhan McCahill 7 Steve Grier 8 Paul Kinsella 6 Stuart Love 7 Neil McGowan 7 Jeff Gamble 7 Seamus McCahill 7 Martin Costello 7 Steve Walsh 7
Subs: Lee Malone 6 Niall Hanratty 5 Dave Browne 5 Ken Buckley Adam Doran
